Applicator dispensers having rotatable discs



Nov. 13, 1962 R. H. THOMAS APPLICATOR DISPENSERS HAVING ROTATABLE DISCSFiled March 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M W 4 X 4 A I d INVENTOR. Ralph 11Zlwmas ljwuaz 9 mm ill yldrl Nov. 13, 1962 R. H. THOMAS APPLICATORDISPENSERS HAVING ROTATABLE DISCS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1961iIIIII-E-Ez:

- IfWLNTOR. Ral h llamas =5? R ATTORNEY atent Patented Nov. 13, T962ware Filed Mar. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 93,448 Claims. (Cl. 15571) The presentinvention pertains to fluid dispensing containers and applicators andmore particularly to a container for dispensing and applying liquids bymeans of a plurality of rotatable discs.

Liquid dispensers comprising ball-top containers are well known to theprior art but have the disadvantage that the rate at which liquid may bedispensed from such devices is relatively low by reason of the fact thatthe contact between the rotatable ball and the surface to which theliquid is to be applied is substantially only a line contact.

Prior art dispensers utilizing a rotatable cylinder are also known butit has been commonly found to be difficult or impossible to effect tightseals between such rotatable cylindrical applying means and the supportmeans therefor. Consequently, such prior art devices have been utilizedprimarily for the dispensing of relatively viscous materials such asshaving cream and the like.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to pro vide adispenser having a series of rotatable applicators which will afford alarge area of dispensing contact.

It is another object of the invention to provide a dispenser applicatorwhich can be effectively sealed to prevent escape of even the mostmobile fluids from the dispenser.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dis penser applicatorhaving a reserve supply of fluid associated with the applicator forinstant use when needed.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the invention comprises acontainer having a fluid reservoir and a flanged open end. A resilientapplicator supporting and retaining means comprising a hollow,sleeve-like member is provided having an open, inner, circular extremityfor removable attachment to the flange of the container. The other outerextremity of the member has a closed diaphragm provided with a pluralityof serially arranged slots. A rotatable applicator assembly comprising ashaft having a number of discs concentrically mounted thereon isinserted within the closure member with an upper minor portion of thediscs extending through and beyond the slots. The diameter of the discsis greater than the length of the slots. Means are provided forsupporting the shaft and discs within the closure. The ends of the slotsare slightly spaced from at least a portion of the peripheries of thecorresponding discs to define fluid dispensing spaces. Opposed walls ofthe resilient closure member are provided externally at their lowerportion with cammable surfaces. A cap relatively rigid as compared-tothe resilient applicator supporting and retaining member is adapted forremovable attachment to the container adjacent the open end thereof. Thecap is provided internally with camming surfaces for engagement with thecammable surfaces of the resilient closure member whereby, when the capis secured to the container, the opposed end walls of the resilientmember are inwardly deformed below the shaft supporting means wherebythe shaft and the associated'discs are forced outwardly of the containerinto a tight sealing engagement with the slots to prevent escape offluid from the container.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to theappended drawings in which identical numerals refer to identical partsand wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the applying end of a rolling the discsover the surface.

partially disassembled fluid dispenser and a partially cut awaycooperating cap constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the applying end of theassembled dispenser applicator and cap illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a modified applicator dispenser having thecap removed and the discs omitted for clarity;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the modification shown in FIG.3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational of a modified discconstruction.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2. Thedispenser comprises a container 16 forming a liquid reservoir. Thecontainer 16 is provided with an open end 17 having an outwardlydirected annular flange 18 extending about the periphery thereof. Thecontainer is provided, adjacent the upper end thereof, with exteriorscrew threads 19.

A closure member is provided having an open, lower, ring-like portion 22provided interiorly thereof with an annular groove 23 for engagementwith the flange 13. The closure member is also provided with an upper sub stantially elliptical portion comprising an applicator supporting andretaining means designated generally by the numeral 24 which is closedby a web or diaphragm 26 provided with a plurality of serially arranged,rectangmlar apertures or slots 27 which are more fully illustrated inFIG. 3. Two opposed walls 28 of the applicator supporting means 24 arecurvilinear in form and are provided internally adjacent but slightlyspaced from the diaphragm 26 with bearing portions comprising mutuallyaligned depressions or sockets 29 for the support and retention thereinof the extremities of a shaft 31. Mounted upon and spaced from theextremities of the shaft 31 and from each other are a plurality of flatdiscs 32 having an upper minor portion thereof extending through theslots 27 and projecting therebeyond. The sockets 29 may be so positionedwith respect to the diaphragm 26 and the discs 32 may be so dimensionedthat in the assembled operating position of the dispenser, the discs arespaced a slight distance from the end walls 15 of the slots 27 to definefluid dispensing spaces. (Shown in FIG. 1.)

The closure member is formed of a suitable material such as rubber,polyethylene or the like which is relatively resiliently deformablecompared to the material from which the container 16 is constructed. Inuse inversion of the dispenser covers the shaft 31 and the portions ofthe discs 32 within the closure member with fluid which may then betransferred by the flat edges of the discs, to the exterior of thecontainer and applied to a surface by Obviously the dimen sions of thespaces which are provided between the periph eries of the discs and theends of the slots in the unsealed position should be determined inaccordance with the physical properties of the liquid to be dispensedand the rate at which it is desired to dispense the fluid. The sides ofthe discs in each of the illustrated embodiments of this invention arein frictional contact with the slots 27 to prevent escape of fluid inboth the sealed and unsealed positions.

Sealing of the dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 2 during nonuse thereof isaccomplished by providing the opposed walls 28 of supporting means 2'4with external cammable surfaces which may take the form of verticalridges 34. A cap designated generally by the numeral 35 of materialrelatively rigid compared to the resilient material of the closuremember, comprises a skirt 44 provided, near the open end, with interiorthreads 36 for engagement with the threads 19 on the container 16. Theinterior of the cap is further provided with a camming surfacecomprising a reduced diameter portion 30 connected with the skirt 40 bya bevel 37 engageable with the cammable surfaces or ridges 34 on theclosure member whereby when the cap is tightened onto the container 16,the lower portions of the walls 23 are deformed inwardly of the closuremember and parallel to the longitudinal axis of shaft 31 whereby thelatter, with associated discs 32, is forced outwardly of the containerinto tight sealing engagement with the ends of the slots 27 to preventescape of fluid from dispensing spaces of the container. Upon detachmentof the cap from the container the inwardly directed force upon theridges 34 is removed and the walls 28 resume their normal, unbiasedposition to allow the discs 32 to drop away from the ends of the slotsunder the force of gravity.

The upper edges of the slots 27 may also be provided, as shown in FIG.4, with inwardly projecting lips 44 which are in constant contact withthe sides of the discs whereby escape of fluid from the container pastthe sides of the discs is prevented.

An additional feature of the invention is the provision of a secondaryreservoir of fluid for immediate dispensing which consists of the spacesbetween the discs where fluids may be held by capillary attraction.

Alternatively as illustrated in FIG. 5, the edges of the discs 53 may beserrated and the discs dimensioned so that the crowns of the serrationscontact the ends of the slots whereby fluid is prevented from escapingfrom the container except for that held by capillary attraction withinthe spaces between the serrations. The serrated disc can be employedwith any of the various embodiments for supporting and journaling theshaft.

Fluid dispensers constructed in accordance with the foregoingembodiments are especially useful in their ability to dispense and toapply to surfaces relatively large "amounts of fluid and are alsodesirable because of the large quantity of fluid held in reserve on thelarge surface area of the discs and accessible for instant application.Moreover, such fluid dispensers are conveniently useable for applyingfluids to the hair since the rotatable discs act somewhat in the natureof the teeth of a comb.

The fluid dispensing applicators constructed in accordance with theinvention may be made in any desired size and may be used to dispensematerials of a wide variety such as fluid cosmetics, medicinals, inks,adhesives, etc.

The applicator of the various embodiments here described may beconstructed of any suitable material but is preferably of a moldableplastic material such as polyethylene which is, in itself, resilientlydeformable, hence aids in the establishment of tight seals between theapplicator and the walls of the aperture of the closure member.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description is merelyillustrative of the principles of the invention and that modificationswithin the capacity of one skilled in the art are to be included withinthe scope of the invention.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application,Serial No. 756,772, filed August 25, 1958, now abandoned.

What is claimed is:

l. A fluid dispensing applicator comprising a container having an openend, a hollow, resiliently deformable closure member attached about saidopen end, said closure provided with a diaphragm having a plurality ofserially arranged rectangular slots outwardly of said container open endand in spaced relationship thereto, said closure member having inneropposed bearing means outwardly of said container open end at rightangles to the longer axis of the slots, a plurality of flat discsrotatably mounted within said closure means, the diameter of said discsbeing greater than the length of the said longer axis of the slots,

said discs extending through said slots and projecting therebeyond saiddiscs having flat applying edge surfaces normally spaced from the endwalls of said slots to permit fluid from the container to be dispensedthereby, means to prevent escape of fluid between the side walls of thediscs and the slots, said discs being mounted on an elongated shaftjournaled within said bearing means and adapted for limited movementnormally with respect to the diaphragm, cammable surfaces on opposedwalls of said closure member between the container open end and theopposed bearing means actuable to inwardly deform those portions of saidopposed walls in a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft, a rigidcap for attachment to said container about said closure member, andcamming surfaces on the interior of said cap which, when said cap isattached to said container, actuate said cammable surfaces whereby thesaid shaft and discs are moved normally with respect to said diaphragmto close the fluid dispensing spaces.

2. A fluid dispensing applicator of claim 1 wherein the applying edgesurfaces of said discs have a series of transverse radial serrations.

3. The fluid dispensing applicator of claim 1 wherein the discs arerotatably mounted on said shaft.

4. The fluid dispensing applicator of claim 1 wherein the discs arenon-rotatably mounted on said shaft.

5. A fluid dispensing applicator comprising a container having an openend, a hollow, resiliently deformable closure member attached about saidopen end, said closure provided with a diaphragm having a plurality ofserially arranged elongated slots outwardly of said container open endand in spaced relationship thereto, said closure member having inneropposed bearing means outwardly of said container open end at rightangles to the longer axis of the slots, a plurality of discs rotatablymounted within said closure means, the diameter of said discs beinggreater than the length of the longer axis of said slots, said discsextending through said slots and projecting therebeyond, said discshaving applying edge surfaces normally spaced from the walls of saidslots to permit fluid from the container to be dispensed thereby, saidslots having the outline of achordal cross-section through said discs,said discs being mounted on an elongated shaft journaled within saidbearing means and adapted for limited movement normally with respect tothe diaphragm, cammable surfaces on opposed walls of said closure memberbetween the container open end and the opposed bearing means actuable toinwardly deform those portions of said opposed walls in a directionparallel to the axis of the shaft, a rigid cap for attachment to saidcontainer about said closure member, and camming surfaces on theinterior of said cap which, when said cap is attached to said container,actuate said cammable surfaces whereby the said shaft and discs aremoved normally with respect to said diaphragm to close the fluiddispensing spaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,732,575 Faust Ian. 31, 1956 2,762,072 Madalinski Sept. 11, 19562,923,957 Gentile Feb. 9, 1960 2,937,391 Phillipps May 24, 1960 FOREIGNPATENTS 14,427 Great Britain July 30, 1895 OTHER REFERENCES Germanapplication S.N. H1 4670 printed Aug. 30, 1956.

